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What Is A MTI?
How to Establish a Ministry Training Institute (MTI)
Every Church is a Training Center
The local church is the logical place to begin training Christians to become effective “marketplace ministers.” That is, effective disciples that know how to share their Christian testimony, lead people to Christ, pray for them to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and pray for the sick. Advanced training would include how to hear from God, the discerning of spirits, and setting people free from spiritual bondage’s. Over the last twenty years, the Deckers have proven this can be done without disciples becoming weird. Ministry Training Centers (MTC’s) mission is to produce biblically based lay ministers who can relieve the salaried staff by assuming most of the prayer ministry, hospital visitations, and other people intensive areas of ministry. Quality small group leaders are developed in the institutes.
We learn by doing
It is a major decision for pastors to begin training members to operate in the supernatural. Many pastors want to avoid the recent “excesses” reminiscent of the Methodist camp meetings at Cane Ridge, Kentucky in 1801.1 The excesses can be avoided when the training is biblical, well thought out, high quality, practical, and totally reproducible. To be effective, the training must include a balance of sound theology, while giving multiple opportunities for every student to experience hands-on ministry. Everything should be done under the watchful eyes of mature trainers who can discern the difference between authentic manifestations of the Holy Spirit and carnal weirdness. Using Doing What Jesus Did and The Ambassador Series as the curriculum, trainers have everything they need to produce effective, reproducing disciples of Jesus Christ and effective small group leaders.
The Ambassador Series
Using the authors’ seventy-two lesson Ambassador Series and their book, Doing What Jesus Did, local churches can establish a Ministry Training Institute in any part of the world. It is remarkable that the curriculum is highly effective in remote meeting places in Third World countries as well as mega-churches in America and everything in between. This is attributed to the Holy Spirit’s influence and anointing that accompany the teaching and hands-on practicum training sessions.
First, select an equipper
It is recommended that the senior pastor not be the one who conducts the Ministry Training Institute, especially in larger churches. He or she is already too busy. It is recommended that the senior pastor be a part of the MTI teaching team. The
person in charge must have a vision for training people to do what Jesus did. Obviously, the instructors must have experience operating in the supernatural if they are going to successfully teach others how to do it. You cannot show someone how to work with the Holy Spirit unless you have done it.
Teachers with experience and a hunger for operating in supernatural ministry obviously make the best trainers. Though hard to find, they exist throughout the Body of Christ. Retired or returning missionaries can be a terrific resource. Being trained by leaders in the local church who are operating in the supernatural of God is the quickest and best way to transfer the same anointing to those being trained. This is how MTI trainers are trained. The students start doing what their trainers have been doing.
This is how Jesus trained the first disciples. This is how it can be done today. First, they watched Jesus do it. Then, they helped Jesus do it. Next, Jesus watched as they did it. Finally, they did it when Jesus was no longer with them. Today, this is called mentoring.
Second, train the trainers
Leaders with a calling to disciple Christians are encouraged to attend a weekend DWDJ Workshop and Teacher Intensive. This is a two-part training seminar. The Workshop is for any interested leader. The Teacher Intensive is only for pastors and teachers. Friday night and Saturday are scheduled for the ten-hour DWJD Workshop ONE. Saturday or Sunday afternoon is scheduled for four-hour Teacher Intensive. Workshop ONE trains disciples how to: lead people to Christ; lead Christians into the Holy Spirit baptism; and heal the sick. DWJD Workshop TWO is scheduled any time after the first Workshop and Teacher Intensive. Disciples learn how to: hear God’s voice, heal the sick by revelation and deal with demons.
The Teacher Intensive portion of the weekend training shows pastors and teachers how to conduct, administrate and teach the thiry-six week Ambassador Series for the Ministry Training Institute (MTI). Pastors and leaders are also shown how to conduct and oversee the six ministry skill “practicum” sessions during the MTI school year. Teaching aids are made available in the form of an Administrative Manual and Practicum Guide along with audio CDs for the teacher’s lesson preparation. The book Doing What Jesus Did is required reading and is used as the practicum guide for all six ministry skills.
Administrative and practicum guides are made available to leaders so they can establish a successful ministry institute. Any leader, pastor, or teacher who has attended a Teacher Intensive will be fully equipped to oversee or conduct an enduring Ministry Training Institute.
Third, plan for a nine-month institute
It is recommended that institutes implement a nine-month schedule for the MTI. In the USA, it should be offered concurrent with the school year (September-June) with a graduation immediately following. The three-hour, once-a-week class is offered in an evening format. Leaders wonder if people are willing to make such a long commitment. This may be addressed by having them commit to twelve weeks (one quarter) at a time. By the time they have finished the first twelve weeks, you cannot keep them away! Normally there is very little attrition because of the exciting hands-on ministry skill sessions. The graduation is a special time where students receive a formal diploma in practical ministry along with the laying on of hands and being commissioned as ambassadors for Christ.
MTC is a proven concept
The Ministry Training Institutes worldwide are doing what Jesus did. The classes are structured for maximum effectiveness. Ministry Training Centers trains the
trainers how to train others. Effective discipleship must be more than a teacher conducting classes where students take notes. True discipleship is personally working with disciples until they know what the mentor knows and can do what the mentor can do. That is how Jesus did it. MTIs function the same way.
A Typical Class Session
Worship and teaching
First, strong worship of the Lord helps put everyone into the right frame of mind. Second, the trainers teach two lessons on the many facets of living the abundant life in Christ, obeying God’s Word, and doing marketplace ministry. Students receive a comprehensive training manual where they record personal illustrations so they can re-teach the lessons in the future.
Divide into practicum groups
Between lessons, the entire class is divided into groups of ten or less where every student practices the ministry skill from Doing What Jesus Did. Every student is scheduled to demonstrate the ministry skills in conjunction with the teaching of the Ambassador Series. This is done until every disciple feels confident to attempt the skills in the marketplace. Over the nine months, all six ministry skills are practiced until mastered: leading people to Christ, the Holy Spirit baptism, healing the sick, hearing from God, healing the sick by revelation, and dealing with demons. An optional preaching practicum is offered for those preparing for public ministry.
Everyone receives ministry
The highlight of the weekly gathering is each student knowing he or she will both give and receive one-on-one prayer ministry whenever there is a need. When it is time for a student to demonstrate the assigned ministry skill, it is done within a group of ten or less with a trained leader. Afterward, they can request personal ministry for current needs. The others are encouraged to respond and pray over the person. The Holy Spirit will often manifest in profound ways, using another student through whom revelation or healing will take place. Everyone gets to minister and receive ministry. Everyone goes home praising God for what they have personally experienced each week. The love quotient and bonding produced in these classes are amazing. It produces true, biblical koinonia.
A Typical Evening Class Agenda
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6:00 pm
6:30 pm
6:45 pm
7:45 pm
8:45 pm
9:30 pm
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Pre-prayer for all MTI Leadership
Strong worship
First lesson for the evening from the Ambassador Series
Break out to the Ministry Skill Practicum sessions
Second lesson for the evening from the Ambassador Series
End MTI class
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Graduation comes after doing it for real
In order to graduate and receive a diploma in practical ministry, every student minister must demonstrate that he or she can do all six ministry skills. The final “exam” requires each student minister to take what he or she has learned and “do it for real” in the marketplace. Each person must make two attempts to lead someone to Christ, two attempts to lead believers into the Holy Spirit baptism, and two attempts to heal the sick. All of the attempts must be done outside of the classroom, in the marketplace.
Confidence is catching
During the last few months of training, the testimonies of doing what Jesus did “for real” start coming in. Student after student gives spontaneous reports of healings, deliverances, and various miracles as they “attempted” to fulfill the marketplace assignments. It always brings a smile to the instructors when they hear exciting testimonies of how the Holy Spirit “took over” the attempt and turned it into a genuine “doing what Jesus did” success story.
Months before, these Christian “laymen” were ineffective and even fearful of reaching out in the name of Christ. By this time, they are going into their part of the world and doing greater things for God than they ever dreamed possible.
Here is how to get started
Trainers must experience the mentoring dynamic. The hands-on practicum is the heart of the training and cannot be learned by reading a book. The fast-paced DWJD Workshops and Teacher Intensives have been developed so pastors and leaders can experience how to conduct the ministry skill sessions and launch a successful Ministry Training Institute. Teacher aids are also available for teachers to start an exciting MTI in their church.
A personal invitation
If you have read this far, you undoubtedly know that MTC/John and Sonja Decker’s passion is to see the Body of Christ equipped to do what Jesus did. They are assisting pastors in establishing Ministry Training Institutes in local churches around the globe. Please contact them if you are interested in learning how to start a Ministry Training Institute in your church. They accept direct invitations from senior pastors to schedule and conduct a Teacher Intensive where they will provide everything you need to know to start a Ministry Training Institute. They would consider it a privilege and an honor to serve pastors of local churches anywhere in the world!
They would love to hear from you. Contact Them Now!
1 Vinson Synan, The Holiness Pentecostal Tradition, (Grand Rapids MI, 1997), page 12. “Their ‘Godly hysteria’ included such phenomena as falling, jerking, barking like dogs, falling into trances, the ‘holy laugh’ and ‘such wild dances as David performed before the Ark of the Lord.’”
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